The UK has said it does not want the US-Israel conflict with Iran to spiral into “wider regional conflict”, AFP reports.

“We do not want to see further escalation into a wider regional conflict,” a government spokesperson said.

They said that the UK’s “immediate priority” was the safety of its citizens in the region.

The spokesperson also said that the UK has “a range of defensive capabilities in the region, which we have recently bolstered. We stand ready to protect our interests”.

A government source noted, however, that Britain was not involved in the US and Israeli strikes on Iran.

Separately, the British government, in a message on X, urged its citizens in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and United Arab Emirates to “immediately shelter in place” because of reported missile attacks on sites in those countries.